AFTER three idyllic years working at the Towers Hotel trekking centre in Glenbeigh, Monica Flanagan had a phonecall out of the blue. It was from an American lady named Vikkie Genêt, who she had worked for at her racing yard back home in Sligo.

“She said ‘Would you consider working in Italy?’ I said I would.” The following day Monica drove to Roscommon Races to meet an Italian gentleman who owned several Irish broodmares in the south of Italy.